Formation of Austrian government following election in September 2019

Summary:

Reports and analyses of the process of government formation in Austria, following a parliamentary election held on 29 September 2019 from which none of the competing political parties managed to acquire a parliamentary majority.

Further information:

The centre-right People's Party (ÖVP) of former Chancellor Sebastian Kurz was the most voted at the polls (37.1%). Despite not achieving the parliamentary majority, the country's President tasked Mr Kurz on 7 October to once again form government. Analysts put forward a number of possibilities, including a reedition of a previous coalition formula between the ÖVP and the far-right FPÖ - which collapsed earlier in the year and triggered the snap election - and a 'turquoise-green' formula bringing together the ÖVP and the Greens, which had made considerable gains at the polls.

On 11 November, the ÖVP and the Greens launched negotiations to form a coalition cabinet. On 28 December, a preliminary agreement was reached between the two political forces, which was later confirmed by party members. The government took office on 7 January 2020.

News

Reuters, 29/09/2019: Election triumph hands Austria's Kurz range of coalition options https://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKKBN1WE09X

Politico, 29/09/2019: Sebastian Kurz spoilt for choice of coalition partners after election win https://www.politico.eu/article/sebastian-kurz-spoilt-for-choice-of-coalition-partners-after-austria-election-win/

Bloomberg, 07/10/2019: Kurz Given Gentle Nudge to Consider Greens in Coalition Search https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-10-07/kurz-asked-to-form-to-austrian-government-amid-split-parliament

The Local (Austria), 08/10/2019: Austrian president tasks Kurz to form another government https://www.thelocal.at/20191008/austrian-president-tasks-kurz-to-form-another-government

France 24, 11/11/2019: Austria conservatives, Greens to enter coalition negotiations https://www.france24.com/en/20191111-austria-conservatives-greens-to-enter-coalition-negotiations

Reuters, 27/12/2019: Austria's Kurz, Greens chief see coalition deal by mid-January https://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKKBN1YV1BD

Politico, 29/12/2019: Austria ready to form new conservative-Green government https://www.politico.eu/article/austria-ready-to-form-new-conservative-green-government-sebastian-kurz/

The Guardian, 30/12/2019: Austria’s Green party on verge of entering government https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/30/austrias-green-party-on-verge-of-entering-government

The Guardian, 02/01/2020: Austria’s new coalition agrees to extend school headscarf ban https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jan/02/austrias-new-coalition-agrees-to-extend-school-headscarf-ban

Deutsche Welle, 02/01/2020: Austria's new government sets goal to be carbon neutral by 2040 https://p.dw.com/p/3Vdm4

BBC News, 02/01/2020: Austria backs green agenda with new coalition deal https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-50969001

EUObserver, 02/01/2020: Austria's Kurz strikes coalition deal with Greens https://euobserver.com/political/147022

Reuters, 03/01/2020: Austrian opposition, environmental groups fault coalition deal https://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKKBN1Z21YH

Climate Home, 07/01/2020: Austria swears in coalition government with strengthened climate plan https://www.climatechangenews.com/2020/01/07/austria-swears-coalition-government-strengthened-climate-plan/

Deutsche Welle, 07/01/2020: Austria swears in first female-majority Cabinet https://p.dw.com/p/3VpXZ

Reuters, 07/01/2020: Austria's Kurz back in power with Greens after far-right fiasco https://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKKBN1Z61AU

EurActiv, 08/01/2020: Austria’s new conservative-Green coalition enthusiastic about climate and Europe https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/austrias-new-conservative-green-coalition-enthusiastic-about-climate-and-europe/

Hungary Today, 09/01/2020: Conservative-Green Coalitions: Tusk Supports, Orbán Not So Much https://hungarytoday.hu/conservative-green-coalitions-tusk-supports-orban-not-so-much/

Bloomberg, 24/01/2020: Austria’s Kurz Praises Green Pact as Blueprint for Germany https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-01-24/austria-s-kurz-suggests-green-coalition-as-blueprint-for-germany

Reuters, 30/01/2020: Austrian government to raise flight tax, start income tax cuts next year https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSL8N29Z4UK

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Commentary and Analysis

Bloomberg, 29/09/2019: Austria Must Keep the Populists Out of Government https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2019-09-29/austria-election-sebastian-kurz-must-keep-out-the-freedom-party

Deutsche Welle, 29/09/2019: Sebastian Kurz: Austria's once and likely future chancellor https://p.dw.com/p/3PdKN

Euro|topics, September 2019: A conservative-Green coalition for Austria? https://www.eurotopics.net/en/227773/

The Guardian, 02/10/2019: The new Austrian government will brand itself as moderate – but don't believe it https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/oct/02/the-new-austrian-government-will-brand-itself-as-moderate-but-dont-believe-it

Euro|topics, November 2019: A conservative-Green coalition for Austria? https://www.eurotopics.net/en/230235/

Reuters, 03/01/2020: Key ministers in Austria's incoming coalition government https://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKKBN1Z21L1

Euro|topics, January 2020: Austria goes turquoise-green https://www.eurotopics.net/en/232790/

The Local (Austria), 07/01/2020: Tax cuts to immigration controls: What the new Austrian government has planned for the country https://www.thelocal.at/20200107/tax-cuts-to-immigration-controls-what-the-new-austrian-government-has-planned-for-the-country

Euro|topics, January 2020: New Austrian government takes office https://www.eurotopics.net/en/233127/

Bloomberg, 08/01/2020: Austria's Conservatives and Greens Stage a Bold Experiment https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2020-01-08/austria-s-conservatives-and-greens-stage-a-bold-experiment

EurActiv, 09/01/2020: ‘We wanted to stop the right-wing authoritarian trend,’ says Green Austrian MP https://www.euractiv.com/section/elections/interview/we-wanted-to-stop-the-right-wing-authoritarian-trend-says-green-austrian-mp/

The Economist, 09/01/2020: A new right-wing-Green coalition takes office in Austria https://www.economist.com/europe/2020/01/09/a-new-right-wing-green-coalition-takes-office-in-austria

LSE: EUROPP Blog, 16/01/2020: Austria’s new ÖVP-Green government: united in diversity? https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2020/01/16/austrias-new-ovp-green-government-united-in-diversity/

BBC News, 06/02/2020: Austria's Greens get used to a share of power https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-51383838

UK in a Changing Europe: Analysis, 12/02/2020: The new government in Austria: what to expect https://ukandeu.ac.uk/the-new-government-in-austria-what-to-expect/

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